WARANGAL: With the sun getting hotter day by day, people are forced to remain indoors, leaving even busy roads in Warangal city deserted. With the city temperature touching 44 degree Celsius, people are not venturing out and taking precaution to avoid sunstroke and other heat related health issues. There is no relief from heat from dawn to dusk.
The people, especially poor and homeless, were bearing the cross as they do not have proper shelter and facilities to deal with the hot weather. “One cannot survive for a minute without a cooler or AC in this hot weather. It is only during evening hours that people find respite from heat for sometime,” a private company employee said.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Hyderabad issuing an alert that temperature during the day will rise in the coming days, has made the citizens of the city a worried lot. The department had asked people to stay under cover due to the heatwave conditions and not to venture out during afternoon. Among the most vulnerable are older and poor people, many of whom live in slums or farm huts.
Huge rush is witnessed in water kiosk set up by GWMC and voluntary organisations in different parts of the city during day time. Colleges students and employees are using umbrellas, caps, sunglasses and gloves while going outside, to protect themselves from sun rays.
The Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) officials have asked people to drink plenty of water. “Heatwaves are common in Telangana but the authorities have done little to ensure water security or prepare urban populations for the risks,” a bank official lamented.
Scorching heat and lack of water have forced the residents to stay indoors during the afternoon. “This weather condition is getting beyond imagination. Travelling on the roads has become very difficult and tiring due to the unrelenting heat,” a retired government employee said.
Heatwave was also affecting livestock, animals in the zoo, cattle and poultry farms. Zoo authorities have made arrangements to provide relief to wild animals but the hot weather is forcing them to stay inside their enclosures. Meanwhile, coconut vendors and juice shops are doing brisk business.
Nalgonda sizzles at 46 degree Celsius
Heatwave conditions continued at various places in Telangana on Saturday. The maximum temperature was recorded at 46.2 degree Celsius in Nalgonda, which is five degrees above normal by the Automatic Weather Station (AWS) of India Meteorological Department (IMD).
This was followed by 45.4 degree Celsius in Bhadrachalam, 45 degree Celsius in Adilabad and 44.8 degree Celsius in Ramagundam. In Hyderabad it was recorded at 42.2 degree Celsius. Telangana State Development Planning Society (TSDPS), which has an AWS at more locations in he state than IMD, recorded temperatures above 46 degree Celsius. The lowest minimum temperature recorded was 25 degree Celsius at Medak and the highest was 30 degree Celsius in Mahbubnagar. In Hyderabad it was recorded at 29 degree Celsius.